Liftoff
by Lone Diamond
Summary: There he was, lying down on the grass, watching the Litleonid meteor shower without her. She was supposed to be there... but she wasn't. He goes to sleep, and begins to remember why.
1. Initiating Countdown

Clear night, warm breeze, and first row seats.

Beautiful streaks of light danced across the sky in quick succession, fading back into the darkness, and then reappearing several seconds later from the same point of origin.

Tonight was supposed to be perfect, and it was all but.

The spot next to me was empty, but for some reason, despite the pleasant air, the grass felt colder than ever.

Perhaps the person who promised to watch this meteor shower with me had something to do with that. After all, she was the one who found this spot, and declared that we should keep it a secret from all the stargazers of the world.

Whenever we met here, she would always sit in the same spot beside me, pointing out all the constellations, naming all their major stars, guiding my index finger and making it trace the outlines of asterisms.

I could do it now, all on my own without her, since I have memorized all the things she has taught me. But there's no point in doing so, as she is not here, and therefore, she is incapable of being impressed.

Suddenly, the trail of lights stops illuminating the sky. The meteor shower must be over now.

I want to go home, and sleep in the comfort of my own bed, but my eyes betray me and I fall asleep, right there in that lonely patch of grass.

The memories that I kept in the back of my mind begin to flicker before my eyes, like a film at a movie theatre, and they come alive, allowing me to re-experience the moments with all five senses, as if I went back in time to do so.

If I had been offered a second chance to embark on my adventure through Hoenn, I would've happily accepted it and done things differently. But because this was a dream, everything was, for the lack of a better term, scripted, which meant that I knew exactly how it was going to end, and I would be left with the same regrets as before. However, at this point, those things didn't matter anymore.

I simply relaxed my body, and let my conscious mind fade away.


	2. 10

_**Ten.**_

It took me a minute to process the memory I began with.

I was standing in a familiar bedroom, but I couldn't quite remember who it belonged to. There was a pokéball on the floor, near the centre of the room, slightly tilted to the side. Did I drop that?

I walked over to the pokéball, and bent down to inspect it, but I was interrupted by a young lady, not much older than I was.

"Ah, I knew I forgot something!" she exclaimed. I turned around to get a good look at her, and I finally remembered why I was here.

"Um, you must be my new neighbour! Could you hand me that pokéball, please?" the young lady asked.

I complied, and said to her, "Nice to meet you, I'm Brendan. Your mother let me come up here to wait for you to return so we could introduce ourselves."

"Ehehe, sorry if I kept you waiting for too long, I was out doing fieldwork and I remembered that I left my most important pokémon in my room." she blushed. "Oh! Where are my manners? My name's May, haha. I look forward to being friends with you, erm, Brendan!"

_Indeed. Fortunately for you, you have a lot to look forward to._

At that moment, an electronic device rang, and May answered it, "Hey, dad! Yeah, I'm in Littleroot right now. You need me to check something in Route 103? No problem! I'll be over right away!" she hung up, and looked at me with somber blue eyes. "I have to go now. If you'd like, I could catch a pokémon for- um, you know what? Never mind, we just met, after all. Instead, I'll tell my dad to give you one, yeah?" before I could answer, she darted off, "See you later, Brendan!"

As the memory drew to its conclusion, I missed her already.


	3. 9

_**Nine.**_

My next memory is one I am strangely fond of. Before me, an exhausted orange and yellow pokémon fell to the ground in defeat, and I recognized this creature as my beloved partner, Combusken, who I received from May's father as a Torchic. I also noticed a dirty blue pokémon right next to him, just as exhausted as mine was. This pokémon was May's partner, Marshtomp.

"Hey, I'm sorry, buddy... you... you did great." I mumbled as I put Combusken back into his pokéball.

"Well, um..." May muttered nervously. "I can't believe this is the first time you've lost to me..." she pulled out several small, white star-shaped object from her bag and gave it to me. "Here, Brendan. These are Max Revives. They restore your pokémon to full health. Please accept this as an apology."

_It wasn't that big of a deal, but why didn't you just verbally apologize to me instead?_

I took the Max Revives from her, and put them in my back pocket. Trying to change the subject, I said to May, "So, where are you going after this?"

May looked surprised, "Ah, me? I'm... going to Rusturf Tunnel. There's a pokémon there that I wanted to research more about. Why? Are you going there?"

"Not at all. I'm going to Mauville to challenge the gym." I replied. "I've decided that it's time for me to get serious about getting all the gym badges so I can take the Pokémon League Challenge."

I expected May to stare at me with disappointment, considering that I just lost to her in a pokémon battle, but the sparkle in her eyes proved me wrong, "That's wonderful, Brendan!" she nearly clapped her hands with excitement. "You certainly have what it takes to become the Champion someday. That much, I can assure you." she glanced at me, and proceeded to pull out an electronic device from her bag.

"What's that you got there?" I asked.

"This is a Dowsing Machine. It helps you find objects that have been buried into the ground. To be honest, I planned on giving this to you as a reward for defeating me, but I changed my mind. I hope you find lots of treasure with it!"

I decided to test out the contraption, so I placed the Dowsing Machine on my head, and turned it on. I heard May chuckle a little bit.

"Pfft! Hehe, you kinda look like a Chinchou." May giggled.

"A Chinchou? What's that?" I looked at her with curiousity.

May blushed, and quickly produced a bicycle from her bag, unfolding it in the process. "Ah, um... you'll know what I mean when you see it!" she got on her bike and waved, "Bye, Brendan! I'll see you around!"

I waved back, "See you soon." as I continued to wonder what on earth a Chinchou was.


	4. 8

_**Eight**_.

After paying a visit to the Weather Institute, I bypassed the opportunity to rest in order to move on to Fortree City.

The rain was heavy, and I almost immediately regretted leaving the Institute, but suddenly, I heard a voice calling out my name in between thunderclaps. I noticed a figure heading towards me, but I could hardly make out any identifying features.

The figure summoned a larger one beside it, and I could finally see who it was that was running after me. Who else could it have been but my kind neighbour, May? She had used her Tropius' wings to shield herself from the downpour, and was making her way over to me.

"Hey... I finally... caught up..." she huffed. "My secret base... around... we should..."

Politely, I asked, "Wait, slow down, May, I didn't understand that. Can you take a minute to catch your breath and repeat what you said?"

May nodded, pulling me under her makeshift umbrella. Now that we were next to each other and out of the rain, I could see how flushed her cheeks were. Her face was so hot, I could feel the heat radiating from her, but I couldn't tell if she was sweating or not due to how drenched she was. At that moment, I thought that May was, admittedly, slightly attractive, but I dismissed the sentiment and decided to distract myself from such thoughts.

I pulled out two towels from my bag, and offered one to May. She thanked me, and began to wipe her body with it, as I did the same with mine. Once she was done, she stuffed the towel in her bag, insisting that she'll return it once she had it cleaned.

In the end, I decided that it was best not to argue with her, and I checked my PokéNav Plus to see how soon this downpour would stop. I don't know why a part of me wanted this rain to continue to fall, but my hopes had been fulfilled, as the rain would not stop until next morning.

"Earlier, I was trying to tell you that we should go to my secret base and continue our journeys the next day, Brendan." May suggested. "My base is in a tree over..." she pointed. "that way."

I eyeballed the distance to the group of trees May was pointing towards, and I decided to go with her."That's actually not a bad idea. The rain won't stop 'till next morning anyways." I smiled a little bit. "Lead the way, May."

She smiled back, and commanded her Tropius to hover over us as we walked. When we got to the base, May recalled Tropius and climbed the vine as I followed closely behind. When I stepped into her base, it felt more like a girl's room than her bedroom back in Littleroot, except that there were electronics scattered in one corner of the base, which I assumed she used for her research.

"Please excuse the clutter, haha." May muttered nervously. "I haven't been here in a while."

"No, it's fine." I said. "You're quite dedicated to your work. What do you use those devices for?"

"Oh, those?" May chuckled. "Umm... that stuff is for research, but not the kind my dad does..." she picked up a portable projector, an odd half of a sphere with a bunch of holes, and a remote control, fidgeting with them. "It's better if I showed you, well, if you'd like to see, that is..."

I could tell that she was reluctant to show me, perhaps out of embarrassment, but since she offered..."Sure, go ahead."

"Really!?" May beamed. She suddenly stopped, as if she had done something wrong, cleared her throat, took a second to compose herself, and continued, "Ah, alright, very well then. Please sit down right..." she guided me to a spot on the floor. "here. Perfect!"

I sat down, watching her put together her contraption. She finished quickly, and turned all the lamps off using her remote as she made herself comfortable next to me. "You can lie down now, Brendan. There's cushions on your right if you need them." she instructed.

As soon as I did so, May turned on the projector, and hundreds of lights appeared before my eyes, right on the ceiling of the base. I let out an audible "wow", to which May giggled.

The lights on the ceiling looked a lot like-

"The night sky, right inside of my base." May whispered. "The real one is undoubtedly better, but for nights like this, this keeps me happy."

"I love it. It's beautiful."

"No one's... ever said that to me before."

"I wasn't talking about you." I teased.

"I-I know that, it's just that... I mean, I never met someone who loved the night sky as much as I do."

I looked over at her, curious to see what kind of face she was making. Unfortunately, it was too dark to tell.

"Ah, sorry if I talked too much. I'll be quiet-"

"No, don't." My response must have shocked the both of us, because May stopped breathing for a second.

_Where did that come from?_

Trying to make amends, I explained, "I want to learn more about the night sky. Could you... teach me?"

I heard May sigh in relief, "Of course. But you have to swear you'll do something for me in exchange."

"What is it?"

"Please don't tell my dad. If he finds out that I've been using my allowance for astronomy..."

"Your secret's safe with me. Cross my heart."

"And hope to fly."

We shared a brief laugh over that joke, as Fortree City was only a bike ride away.

May left me a note the next morning when I woke up, and she wrote:

_Dear Brendan,_

_I hope I didn't disrupt your sleep schedule too much last night. By the time you finish reading this note, I've already beaten the Fortree gym. You better catch up! I'll be waiting in Lilycove. _

_P.S. If you beat me in a battle at Lilycove, I'll give you a surprise._

_-May_

Without another second to waste, I made my way to Fortree City, more determined to win than ever before.


	5. 7

_**Seven**_.

Once I had made it to Lilycove City, I looked everywhere for May, and finally spotted her as she was exiting the Lilycove Department Store.

"May! There you are!" I shouted, running towards her in excitement.

She jumped, surprised that I had found her, and quickly stuffed her goods into her bag.

"Uhh, hi, Brendan!" May greeted. "How are you doing?"

"Not bad, and yourself?" I eyed her bag. "You didn't spend the entire time waiting for me by browsing for dolls, did you?"

"What? N-no! Nothing like that!" May huffed. "I was just buying supplies that I need. But enough about that, let's battle!"

"I was hoping you'd say that." I grinned. "You know I'm not going to lose to no May."

"Bring it on."

As we battled, May's note lurked in the back of my mind. One by one, I was defeating her pokémon, coming closer and closer to earning the "surprise" that she had promised me.

And then, the moment came, where she was down to her last pokémon, Metagross.

How she came to obtain such a powerful, rare creature, I did not know until later, but my Blaziken had been knocked out by it, and I had no choice but to call out my Armaldo, who I knew was weak to Steel-types.

However, there was a slim chance that I could win, for I had a secret weapon up my sleeve, and I was about to use it...

"Armaldo, use Dig!" I shouted.

"Get ready to use Flash Cannon, Metagross!" May commanded.

Armaldo buried himself deep underground, as Metagross scanned the area for him, ready to unleash the power it had charged.

The outcome of the battle relied on this single moment, and the anticipation had made temporarily forget to breathe.

Armaldo shot out of the ground, causing a huge cloud of dust to form. Simultaneously, a ray of light shot out, piercing the cloud, and a strong gust followed, which cleared the dust that concealed the winner.

"No doubt about it..." May began as she paced over to her pokémon. "looks like you won."

As I petted Armaldo, he grinned at me in triumph, and turned to growl cutely at May, as if he were saying thanks.

"Since I won, fair and square, what surprise did you have for me, May?" I asked.

May snickered, "Sorry, but you're going to have to wait till later to obtain it, Brendan."

"Aw, come on. Are you for real?"

"It's a surprise for a reason!"

Suddenly, a strong breeze blew in, and we were able to catch a glimpse of a silver blur that disrupted the calm air that had been present beforehand.

"Did you see that? That was a Mossdeep Space Rocket, Brendan!" May exclaimed.

"Wow, really? Where's that rocket heading off to, I wonder?"

"I bet it's just a training vessel for astronauts. They're probably going up into the stratosphere to simulate the zero-gravity conditions of outer space."

"How long are they planning to stay up there?"

"I wish I knew..."

We stood in silence for a few moments, staring at the streak of smoke that the rocket left behind until it had dissipated entirely into the atmosphere.

I noticed that May furrowed her brow and held her lips together in a small, tight frown, as if she had wanted to do or say something, but was unable to, for reasons I was not informed of at the time.

She broke from her spell, "Ah, Brendan, would you like to go to Mauville City with me to pass the time? After all, you still won't recieve your surprise until later today."

I grinned, "Sure, why not? I'm not in a rush to get to Mossdeep City, so I think it'd be nice to take a break for once."

May and I took the detour to Mauville City through Route 123, passing Mt. Pyre along the way. We picked the berries that grew just off the path and paid a brief visit to the Berry Master's house.

"Oh my, what's this?" the Berry Master chuckled. "Today, there are not one, but two young florists that have decided to visit my humble home!"

"Ahhh, yes!" the Berry Master's wife chided. "A couple of young florists, they are... would you two like some berries?"

I stretched my hand out, "Yes, please!"

May was a bit flustered, but she reluctantly extended her hand as well, "Of course, I'd be honoured..."

With the gentlest smiles I've ever seen, the elderly couple gave each of us a small sack of berries, along with tips on how to raise them, and we expressed our gratitude before resuming our journey to Mauville City.

On the way, May kept glancing at the sky, as if expecting to find something. I questioned her, "May, is everything alright?"

"Me? Ah, yes, yes! Perfectly fine!" she mumbled. "I just... can't wait to show you your surprise... that's all."

I wasn't entirely convinced that May was telling me the truth, so out of some strange courage from within, I asked, "There's something else bothering you, isn't there, May?" she looked away from my face in defeat as I continued, "If you want to talk about it... I'm listening."

She clasped her hands nervously, and turned back to me, "If you're willing to listen, then... please keep this between us..." she glanced at my face, but she only managed to say, "You know what? I'll tell you later. I'll definitely be more comfortable then. Just... give me a while to think about it, alright?"

I squeezed her shoulder a little, "That's fine." I pulled my hand away, and for the rest of our walk, I didn't say a word to May.

We finally arrived at Mauville together, just in time to view the sun beginning to dip behind the trees, painting them in lovely shades of reds and pinks.

"It won't be long now, Brendan. We just need to go up into Route 111, take a couple of odd turns, and the rest awaits." May instructed. Her face suddenly dropped into a thin frown, "I'm sorry I made you walk so far. It's just that..."

I tried to comfort her again, "Don't worry, I'll be patient, May. I actually had a lot of fun walking with you, and getting to know you better along the way made it a very pleasant experience."

May tilted her head, and paid me an admirable grin, "I'm glad. It seems we were able to become friends after all, huh?"

"Weren't we already?"

"Yes, we are."

We took a quick trip to the Pokémart to collect supplies and a light meal in order to continue our journey, so after gathering everything we needed, we set foot onto Route 111, and diverted into a grassy clearing obscured by trees.

"Here we are." May declared as she let herself fall into the grass. "This place is completely unknown to campers and the like, so we've got it all to ourselves."

I challenged her claim, "Really? I don't see how a camper or picnicker could overlook such a nice spot."

She chuckled, "Argue with me all you want, Brendan, but I've been here longer than the original Pokénav's discontinuation."

"If you say so."

She patted the patch of grass next to her, motioning me to lie with her. I accepted her offer and asked, "So, is this my long-awaited surprise?"

"Look up at the sky, Brendan."

I did as I was told, and right before my eyes, the entire hemisphere lit up. The stars twinkled vibrantly in flares of blue, red, yellow, and white. The galaxy itself seemed to flow, like a river, shimmering eternally against the pitch black canvas of outer space.

I felt like I was floating among the stars, weightless as if I no longer had a body. Never before had I seen such a beautiful sight and been so... lost in its brilliance.

But my heavenly moment ended when May pulled me back to Earth. "Are you okay? Your eyes are watering."

So they were.

But that realization came to me several months too late.

"No they're not. I'm perfectly fine." I denied.

May didn't say anything now. She simply let me be, and continued watching the stars.

We engaged in a conversation when the sun had risen again.

Surprisingly, I was the first to speak, "May?"

"Yes, Brendan?"

"On our way here, you said you needed time to think about something. Are you comfortable enough to tell me now?"

"Oh, yes, that's right." she said as the sun came up, transforming her into a dark silhouette. "All I had to say was that I'm no longer a Pokémon trainer or my father's research assistant."

May smiled brightly at me, "I'm May Birch, astronaut in training."

_If only I hadn't taken so long to realize what that meant._


	6. 6

_**Six.**_

Just like that, May and I weren't rivals anymore.

Despite that, I continued to strive for the title of Champion, and as a result, I only managed to see her once in a blue moon.

Whenever we met, she taught me everything she knew about space, just as she promised. She began with the simplest constellations, and later moved onto more complex ones, having me locate them first on her star chart, then in the actual sky.

"Litleo, Gallade, Hydreigon..." I recited one night as we were studying. "Those are all the ones I'm able to make out from here."

"You overlooked Gardevoir, Luvdisc, Ursaring, and Teddiursa." May notified me. She pointed to the star chart on my lap. "Try again to see if you can find them this time."

I grumbled in protest, "Why don't we stop here for today? After all, you have work tomorrow, don't you?"

"I do, but none of that matters right now. I want you to find those constellations. We can go to sleep afterwards."

"Alright then. Gardevoir is... here, right? Just to the left of Gallade. And Luvdisc is between those galaxies over there..." I highlighted their positions as May supervised me. "Ursaring's pointer stars always lead to Teddiursa's central star... and with that, it looks like I'm done!"

"See, I knew you could do it, Brendan." she yawned. "Let's get some sleep now. Tomorrow, I'll be undergoing an Ocean Landing Simulation."

"An Ocean Landing Simulation?" I repeated.

"Basically, I get into a capsule with 3 other trainees, and we get dropped from a plane over the ocean. Once we're submerged, our task is to use our instincts to pilot the capsule and float to the surface while sending our coordinates to another plane, which will secure our location and retrieve us." May explained. "It sounds simple enough, but sometimes, the Space Centre sends alarm commands to the capsule, and we have to react accordingly, as if it were an actual malfunction."

"Do you ever get scared?"

There was a brief pause.

"No. I can't afford to. Fear is the catalyst for disaster." she proclaimed; as if she wanted to convince herself of something, "I must remain calm at all times, no matter the circumstances."

I knew that couldn't be entirely true. May wasn't the extremely emotional type, but she was still sensitive. Surely, she must have felt fear at some point during her trials… but I didn't want to bother her with that right now.

May got up and walked over to the lamp in the corner. "I'm turning off the lights, Brendan. Good night."

"Good night, May."

I closed my eyes, and before I knew it, morning came. I found May putting on her lab coat and work boots while fixing herself a cup of coffee.

"Hello, Brendan." she greeted me, without looking up. "How'd you sleep last night?"

"I didn't have any dreams, so I guess I had a decent 7-hour nap." I replied.

"And you?"

"I…" she glanced over at me. "I slept well."

"That's good." I crawled out of my sleeping bag, making my way over to her. "You need any help? I'll stir your coffee while you tie your boots."

May stepped aside, grinning in relief. "Please do." since she wasn't multitasking anymore, she continued the conversation. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without you, Brendan."

"You'd probably be huddled in some marsh, still doing fieldwork." the coffee turned a milky vanilla colour as I stirred. "And you also wouldn't have an annoying rival, unless you count Wally, but he's more of a sparring partner than a rival."

"Wally, the boy from Petalburg, right? I know him too. He's in my unit, actually." May finished tying the last knot in her laces. "I can't believe he wants to become an astronaut as well; I thought he was going to stick with the League challenge."

I had to shake some dust out of my ears, "Wally wants to be an astronaut?!"

"He certainly does." she shook her head. "The poor boy's got all the heart for it, but he can't handle low oxygen levels really well, because… well, you know. I'm afraid he'll have to go home if he passes out in this test too."

"He's passed out during a test before?"

"Yes. It happened in a disorientation chamber. When he lost consciousness, we were all worried for his well-being, thinking that it might be too dangerous for him to go on. But he insisted on continuing the program, so… there's that."

"But isn't it common to lose consciousness in a disorientation chamber?"

"Not if your pulse momentarily drops to zero."

"Oh."

May drank her coffee in short sips, before turning to me again, "Brendan?"

I looked up, "Yeah?"

She let the question linger for a moment, but soon broke the silence, "When you're out on your journey…" she brushed a stray hair out of her face. "do you wonder if I'm flying overhead when you look up at the sky?"

"Of course." I said, almost too quickly. May's eyes widened, and I could see a hint of a blush forming on her cheeks. I continued, "After all, isn't it my job to support you? Though, I do hope you're doing okay too."

"T-thanks." May sipped some more of her coffee. "For looking out for me, that is. It's really reassuring, really."

When she realized what she just said, she blushed even more, and I laughed, "What can I say? It's my pleasure."

"Mmmff..." May grunted into her coffee, seemingly annoyed by my comment. She finished it quickly, and made one last remark before heading out the door, "I'll see you later, Brendan!"

"See you soon!" I hollered back. As soon as I heard the lock click, the room felt a lot colder than before, now that she was gone.

_I might not want to admit it out loud, but I've always missed you dearly whenever you left..._

That same day, I remember receiving a call from May, shortly after I defeated gym leader Wallace and went back to Mossdeep to plan a visit to Shoal Cave.

I picked up right away, "Hey, what's up?"

"Brendan…" May began. "Where are you right now?"

"I'm in Mossdeep, why?"

"Ah, you are? Well…" I could hear her fumbling around on the other end. "could you come to the Space Centre? There's something I'd like you to do for me."

"Alright. I'll be there in a bit." I replied.

May hung up, and I began to make my way towards the building. I found the girl in question standing outside, dressed in a blue space training suit, waiting for me to arrive.

"Yoo-hoo!" I chirped. May looked up instantly, thankful that I was there. She walked towards me and gave me a huge hug.

"I'm so glad to see you." she sighed. "I'm sorry if I interrupted you while you were in the middle of something."

"Not at all." I reassured her as I hugged back. "You said you needed me, so I came as soon as you called." when she pulled away, I asked, "What do you need me to do?"

"Earlier this morning, I told you that I was going to undergo an Ocean Landing Simulation, right?"

"Yeah. And how'd it go?"

"Swimmingly, pardon the pun." she replied. "Wally didn't pass out this time, thank heavens, but what I didn't know was that I was being recorded. Well… I have no problem with being recorded, but now, the Centre is planning to release the video to the local news, and I'm afraid my father might see me on TV later tonight."

"Damn… so much for keeping your career change a secret…" I rubbed the back of my head solemnly. "What are you going to do now?"

May reached out and held both of my hands in hers. "I was wondering if you'd go to Littleroot with me… and help me tell him the truth."

"Of course I'd do that for you, May." I looked deep into her eyes. "Just say the word, and off to Littleroot we go."

"Thank you so much, Brendan." she took a deep breath. "I'm ready."


	7. 5

_**Five.**_

"We're here." I said once we were in front of her doorstep. "Are you ready?"

"I think so." she nodded. "But let me speak first, and if I need you to back me up, you can step into the conversation."

"Okay. Sounds good to me."

"Let's go then."

May knocked twice, and we waited for several minutes before Mrs. Birch opened up.

"Oh, May! Darling!" she cooed. "How are you? It's been so long since I've seen you!"

"Hi, Mom." May mumbled sheepishly. "I brought Brendan along, if you don't mind."

Looking over at me, Mrs. Birch clasped her hands together as soon as she saw me. "Brendan? No, I don't mind at all! Why, that's simply delightful! How nice of you to bring your sweetheart, May!"

"Mom!" May blushed furiously as she scolded her. "We've discussed this!"

Even I felt myself burning up, hearing that previous statement.

"Right, right!" Mrs. Birch chuckled. "I do apologize for that, Brendan. Now, why don't you two come inside? You're just in time for supper!"

We were seated at the table, where there was only one empty seat, due to Professor Birch's absence.

May questioned this right away, "Hey, Mom, where's Dad?"

Mrs. Birch laughed heartily as she pulled a casserole out of the oven. "Oh, you know your father, darling! Always out on his escapades and whatnot! But don't worry! He'll join us any minute now!"

I've never had casserole before, but I sure do hope that Mrs. Birch's dinner tastes as good as it smells! I couldn't help but wonder why the professor would ever come late to dinner if the food was this good!

May stared off into space, probably thinking of what she was going to say to her father once he did show up. I saw the dim hope that dwelled within her eyes, not unlike my own whenever I thought about my father.

Mrs. Birch tried to clear the tension with small talk, "So, Brendan, how have you been doing?"

"Not too bad. I'm about ready to take on the Pokémon League, actually. I just won the Rain Badge today." I explained.

May jumped in, "You did? Well, um, congrats!"

"Yes, that's quite splendid indeed! To think you've surpassed your father…" Mrs. Birch turned to May. "And you? How many badges do you have, May?"

"Me? Umm, well… recently, I got the Mind Badge. Just one behind Brendan, ehehe…" May stuttered.

"Well, I'm sure it's because you're really busy doing research as you raise pokémon. It's nothing to worry about, May, you'll catch up to him soon." Mrs. Birch said.

"Actually, Mom-"

"I'm home, dearie!" a loud voice bellowed from the doorway. "And it looks like supper is still nice and toasty, waiting for me to dig in, huh?"

The voice belonged to none other than the enthusiastic Professor Birch, who stumbled in and gave his wife a full kiss on the lips before making himself comfortable at the table.

"And who do we have here?" he guffawed. "A little bundle of May and a certain rad neighbour, Brendan, I see!"

"H-hello, Dad." May greeted.

I nodded. "Good evening, Professor Birch."

"Just 'mister' is fine, my boy!" Mr. Birch beamed. "Now, when do we get to chow down, hon?"

"As soon as you get your plate, which is what I'm preparing right now." Mrs. Birch hummed sweetly while she cut a slice of the casserole for him. "Here you go."

"Thank you for the meal." Mr. Birch said as he began to eat.

Mrs. Birch served both May and I at the same time, then she produced a helping for herself and joined us at the table, at last.

"This is so good!" I gushed. "I wish my mom knew the recipe so I could eat this at home too!"

"Oh, don't be afraid to help yourself to seconds, Brendan. And if you'd like, I could also let you take some of the casserole home with you. We have plenty of it to share." Mrs. Birch offered.

I grinned, "That would be a pleasure." I saw May out of the corner of my eye, calmly enjoying her food, but not daring to say a word, probably to spare the mood. I decided to let her be, according to the instructions she gave me earlier.

However, Mr. Birch thought that the silence was turning out to be a little too awkward for the occasion, "So, May, have you discovered anything interesting in your fieldwork recently? I know I have, but I'll let you to share your findings first!"

"Not really, Dad." May admitted. "What'd you find?"

"Well, you wouldn't believe it! Did you know that Wailmer like to sunbathe, and that Wailord tend to sunbathe in the middle of the ocean? I couldn't believe it, myself, either"

"I knew about the Wailmer over at Mossdeep, but I've never seen Wailord do that kind of stuff in the ocean before. You'd have to show me someday, Dad."

"Definitely." was Mr. Birch's response before he went silent again.

It was now Mrs. Birch's turn to ask questions, "I've been thinking about it ever since you came to visit, but what's that suit you're wearing, May? It looks like something an astronaut would wear."

Once again, silence.

May looked up from her plate of food, doing her best to keep her emotions at bay, "Actually, it is something an astronaut would wear. It's the training suit I use whenever I perform a simulation."

"Correction, it's something you would use for an astronaut simulation, right?" Mr. Birch suggested. "I have one just like it for exploring marshes and swamps."

"Except that I don't use it for fieldwork… Dad." May mumbled, feeling ashamed. "I wanted to tell you for a long time that I'm… I'm…"

Both Birches were gazing intensely at their daughter, confused by her sudden confession. One look at her, and I could tell that she needed me to help her out now.

"She's an astronaut-in-training." I finished. I grasped May's hand to tell her that everything would be alright. "What May really wants to do isn't to complete the Pokédex, but to explore outer space."

Just then, Mr. and Mrs. Birch burst out laughing, much to my confusion.

"Oh, May, darling!" Mrs. Birch giggled. "We knew that already! After all, we are your parents!"

It was Mr. Birch's turn to talk, "We've seen you on TV more times than we can count! Your mother and I have always cheered you on, because we knew, since you were a very little girl, that you would set your sights on the stars someday. It was only a matter of time before you'd finally make that a reality!"

"You guys…" May started to tear up. "Thank you!"

Mrs. Birch pulled May into a hug. "Why would you ever think that we'd stop loving you if you became an astronaut? I'll always be proud of you, no matter what."

Mr. Birch wanted a hug too. "You don't have to follow my footsteps, May. I know that you and I have always bonded over the fieldwork we've done together, but if you want to go for the stars, then do so, by all means. You have my word."

I watched this heartwarming spectacle for a while, deeply moved by the amount of love May received from her parents, and the encouragement she needed from them in order to pursue her dreams. I felt honoured to have been a part of it; to be reminded that sometimes, we can't do everything on our own.

_I'd go any length for you, if it means I get to see you be this happy._

"Why don't we all finish our casserole now? The food will get cold." Mr. Birch offered.

"Yeah, all that crying made me hungry." May agreed. She turned to me. "Thanks, Brendan."

"What are friends for, May?"

And with that, we ate merrily, late into the night, until I had to return home.

May volunteered to escort me, and helped me with the casserole that Mrs. Birch insisted that I must take home for my family.

"I know this might seem a little redundant, considering that I've thanked you already, Brendan, but I just can't seem to thank you enough." May commented.

"Aw shucks, I didn't even do much. Give yourself some credit where it's due, May."

"No, you did a lot for me just by being there. Everything worked out in the end, but I would've never had the courage to speak to my parents if it weren't for you."

"I'm really flattered. You think so highly of me, when all I did was do what any good friend would have done."

"You're my only friend, Brendan. So that's why I..." May paused for a second. "I'm grateful, more than anything." She ran her fingers through her hair, as if she were trying to find something within herself that wasn't there before. "Y-you know… I don't have anything to do tomorrow, so if you'd like, we could go out and have some fun together."

I lit up immensely, "Sure thing! Just give me a call first thing in the morning, and I'll meet you outside."

"Okay, then." May waved at me. "Good night, Brendan."

"Good night!"

I stepped inside my house, and parted ways from May. Setting the casserole on the table, I thought about my own family, and how I hardly visited them ever since I started my journey. I decided that I would be the one to change that from now on.

But for now, it was time for me to put my tired mind to rest.


	8. 4

_**Four**_.

Ring ring. Ring ring.

I woke up in a sluggish state, lazily scratching the back of my neck and yawning as I heard my Pokénav go off. Once I remembered that May told me she would call, I darted to my desk and answered the call.

"Ah, sorry about that, May! I just woke up, haha!" I said with a rushed embarrassment. "So, what did you have in mind for today?"

"Umm, well, I'm still working out the details, but how about you get breakfast first, and then meet me outside, okay?" she responded. "And also, uh, take as much time as you need. There's no rush."

"Okay, okay, no need to worry." I chuckled. "See you in a bit."

"See ya."

-Click!-

I dressed myself before heading downstairs, where I found my mother reheating the casserole I brought home yesterday.

"Brendan!" she exclaimed. "So you're the one who brought this casserole home last night!"

"Yeah. I was invited to dinner at the Birch's place yesterday. And while I was here in Littleroot, I thought it would be nice if I paid you a visit, you know?" I told her.

"That's great, Brendan." she then proceeded to sigh, "I just wish you would've gotten up a little earlier. You missed your father. He left right before you came downstairs."

I frowned. "Sorry, Mom."

"No, no, it's fine. I should be grateful that you came home safe and sound. Are you going to be staying here?"

"Well…" I suddenly felt guilty about telling her what I was planning to do. "May wanted to take me somewhere today, so I got up to go meet her. But I'll be back by the end of the day."

"I see…" she tried to smile. "Have fun, then, Brendan."

"Alright. Take care, Mom."

"That's what I should be telling you."

I closed the door behind me, and found May talking to her Pokémon.

"Steven would be real proud of you if he saw how much you've grown, Metagross!" She gushed as she petted her pokémon.

I snuck up behind her and interjected. "So, you got that Metagross from Steven, huh?"

Surprised, May jolted upwards. "Brendan! I'm sorry that I didn't see you there!" she twiddled with her headband nervously. "Yeah, I got Metagross as a gift from Steven when I bumped into him on Route 112. I guess I never got to tell you until now, huh?"

"It's not that big of a deal, I was just joshing." I chuckled. "Anyways, where did you want to go today?"

"Actually… I was thinking…" May looked up at me. "Isn't it always just me taking you places? Why don't we go somewhere you'd like to go?"

I thought about her question for a moment, and then I replied, "May, you know… sometimes, I feel like I've been just about everywhere here in Hoenn, but whenever I go somewhere with you, you show me so many secret places that I was careless enough to overlook the first time." I laid a hand on her shoulder. "So, wherever it is you want to take me, don't hesitate. I'd be more than happy to join you."

"Y-you mean it?"

"Absolutely."

"Then… Mossdeep. Would that be alright?"

"Do you even need to ask?" I summoned my Flygon, and stretched my hand out to her. "Let's get going."

She took it, hopped on, and we proceeded to go full speed ahead. With the wind rushing past us, we made it to our destination without any delay.

May got off first, then I followed shortly. "So, what sort of secrets await us here?" I asked as I put Flygon away.

"Well, umm… it's not really a secret, but why don't you wait and see?"

She led me to the Space Centre, where we checked in and had a look around.

"Woah…" I began. "I hadn't actually visited this place before, but I must say, the displays here are pretty impressive."

"Definitely." May answered. "I always dreamed of working here when I was a kid." she walked towards the moon landing recreation and smiled at me. "I used to stand behind this very cutout and try to imagine myself growing up tall enough for the pose."

"I'd say your dream is as good as true. After all, you're only several months away from wearing the actual suit, right?"

"Yeah." May replied. She pulled out her Pokénav+, looking at it longingly.

I began to worry that I might've said something wrong, so I called out to her, "Is there something on your mind?"

"Umm, well, no- not really." yet, she continued to look down at her device. "I just…"

"I'm listening." I assured her.

"It's a little embarrassing, but… would you take a picture of me behind the cutout?" she said, before quickly interjecting, "Actually, you know what? You don't have to. I get it if you think it's a little childish or weird or- "

I couldn't help but laugh a little at her offbeat silliness.

"Yeah, I know, it's weird, isn't it?" she began to put her Pokénav+ away, but I stopped her.

"May, it's okay! I just thought it was a little funny that you'd think this is a childish request. Honestly, I think it's cu-" I cleared my throat. "Cool, that you want to take a picture and relive your childhood a bit, you know? I'd be more than happy to help you out!"

She looked up at me, finally, with a voice barely above a whisper. "Really?"

"Really." I grinned. "Now, let's take that photo!"

She handed me her Pokénav, and stood behind the cutout, smiling brightly at me as she did so. When May positioned her face behind the visor, it felt as if the entire thing was made for her, as if she was destined to become an astronaut…

It suited her.

"Alright… I'm taking it on the count of three! Don't blink!" I instructed. She continued to smile brightly, focusing only on the moment, forgetting about everything else. "One… two… three!"

-Click!-

I took a peek at the result of the shot on the screen, impressed by how timeless and still everything seemed to be, despite it having taken place just a moment ago. Somehow… it almost felt as if time had stopped and we were the only ones here right now.

May made her way over to me, gushing about this and that, "Did it come out okay?"

"Of course." I replied as I returned her Pokénav. "It's wonderful. Would it be fine if I were to have a copy as well?"

"Sure, just let me send it to you…" she typed my name into her device. "And there. Sent. You don't want to take a picture too?"

"Haha, you've already taken a picture of me in Lilycove, remember?" I laughed. "I guess you could even consider it an exchange of mementos, in a sense."

"Mementos, huh…" May took a moment to let the thought sink in. "I've never thought of photographs like that before. I always just thought of them as a way to look back into the past."

"Really? Wow, you make it seem like I could never stop learning new things about you, May." I said affectionately.

"I-is that a bad thing? Does it bother you?"

"Not at all. It just makes you more interesting."

"Thanks." she replied, but for some reason, the way she said it posed the phrase as a question rather than an answer… or maybe I was just overthinking it.

We talked a bit about our thoughts on space travel, when a nice lady from the front desk approached us.

"Good afternoon, Miss Birch!" she greeted before turning to me with a brochure, "Is this young man a friend of yours?"

"Yes, he is."

"Why, that's just lovely! I'm sure you already knew this, but just to remind you, we'll be hosting a live viewing event of the Litleonid Meteor Shower later this month. It would be splendid if you could convince your friend to come join us!"

"Thank you very much, Amanda!" May grinned. "Your dedicated service is always appreciated. I'll make sure to save the date!"

"Very well then." Amanda bowed. "I apologize if I interrupted... anything."

"Not at all."

As soon as Amanda was out of earshot, May giggled quietly as she turned back to me.

"Hey, what's so funny?" I mumbled. "It's not nice to make fun of others."

"I wasn't." May giggled again. "I'm actually laughing at myself, because I totally forgot about the Litleonid meteor shower!"

"Oh, so that's what it was…" I scratched my neck sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." she smiled. "But to be honest, I wouldn't recommend coming here to see the meteor shower."

"Why not?"

"Because…" she motioned for me to lean in closer, and whispered, "I know a place that offers a better view."

"A better place? Do you mean…?"

She nodded, putting a finger to her lips, as she backed away from me. "Would you like to join me that night, Brendan?"

"Yeah… I'd like that."

"Then, I'll look forward to it." She let out an adorable chuckle. "Don't forget the 17th!"

I smiled back at her. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Once we had toured the entire Space Centre, we went out to eat some exclusive Casteliacones from a dessert vendor parked by the seaside. We sat on a nearby bench to enjoy our cones.

"I had a really good time today." I said as I dug my shoes into the sand. "Thanks for bringing me here."

"Hehe, well, actually, you're the one who brought us here, I simply gave you the suggestion." May hummed. "But, you're welcome."

There was a comfortable silence between us, as the waves crashed gently against the shore in the background. Somehow, the way May could be so in tune with the moment made me feel as if there was no such thing as an awkward pause. At least, not when I'm around her.

Just like before, we seemed to be the only ones here, right now...

May broke the silence, "Brendan?"

"Hm?"

"Should we go back home now? The sun's beginning to set."

"As soon as we finish our ice cream." I replied. "I don't think Flygon would be too happy about having cold dairy spilled onto his back."

"You're right. He is a dragon-type, after all." she continued to eat her Casteliacone, watching the Wingulls play among the mangroves in the horizon.

Finally, after several minutes, we were ready to leave Mossdeep and head home to Littleroot.

Once we had landed in Littleroot again, I offered May to join my family for dinner this time, but she politely declined, since she had to get ready early the next morning.

"So… I guess I'll see you some other day?" I asked, adjusting my slightly windblown hat.

"Hopefully, if we're not too busy." she replied, walking back towards her house. "But in the meantime, let's work on our dreams, got it?"

"Understood, Miss Birch." I teased.

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Hahaha, oh, would you stop that?" then, she stood on the doorstep, before calling out, "Good night, Brendan."

"Good night, May." I waved.

She walked into her house, and I was left standing out there, alone, with several thoughts left unsaid.

I decided that it was better to keep those thoughts to myself.

I went into my own house, and discovered that I was able to sit with my family for dinner, for the first time in months.

After dinner, I set a goal for myself that I would become the Champion no later than the 17th. Tomorrow, I shall make my way through Victory Road, and I won't come home until l reach the Hall of Fame.

_Only then, will I be worthy to meet you again…_


	9. 3

_**Three**_.

This is it.

Ever Grande City.

And within it, Victory Road awaits, the dark mountainside towering overhead, as if it were alive, planning to swallow me whole.

I had made sure that I came fully prepared the night before. There was no way I was going to go in there, and come back out without claiming victory. No matter the cost, I had to do this.

Accepting the challenge, I stepped into the dark cave, staring straight ahead without any hesitation. There simply was no time to waste.

I walked around, cautiously, so as to not disturb the Pokémon around me, while also looking for any trainers eager to battle me. I had to prepare myself as best as I could before facing any of the Elite Four, unless I planned to go home in defeat.

Strangely enough, at the thought of going home, May crossed my mind. Would she be disappointed in me if I were to fail?

Even though I had lost to her in battle before, would she still believe in me now, with those same starry eyes I had seen back then?

Just as she is destined to go to outer space, am I, too, destined to become the Champion? Or could my dream only be achieved through effort, while hers is one acquired through talent and dedication?

The names of constellations and their patterns rolled through my mind as I pondered… all eighty-eight if them.

Every. Single. One.

Once I realized that I had successfully recited each constellation from memory, I felt extremely proud of myself for having accomplished such a feat.

It's all thanks to May.

She had such a deep curiosity about the world, but even more towards the endless abyss that surrounded us known as outer space. Thinking about it now, the constellations were something she taught herself. What began as an interest, later became a passion; a career.

Of course I'd only be worthy to meet her again if I demonstrated that her devotion inspired me to do the same to make my own dream come true.

The dream I always had as a child was to raise a team of Pokémon, and explore the world with them at my side. Becoming the Champion of Hoenn would allow me to do that. I'd be able to travel anywhere, to all kinds of places, and meet all kinds of people.

Huh.

I guess it's not that different from what May wants to do, after all.

My dream is to explore the ends of the earth, and hers is to explore the ends of the stars…

How strange it is, that we'd pursue such ideals, attracted to each other as if by some mysterious force of nature.

But the thought didn't linger for long.

I was coming close to the end of the path. The Pokémon League can't be far now.

There's no other choice… but to go forth.

A blinding light engulfed me and my team.

I had let them out of their pokéballs earlier, so that we would take our first steps towards glory together.

Blaziken. Flygon. Manetric. Dusknoir. Armaldo. Sharpedo.

We all stood before the gate, ready for battle.

Challenge accepted.

_What would you say if you saw me now?_

I went into the Pokémon League, where a pair of young men verified that I had all the badges required to enter.

Once I had been approved, they stepped aside to make way, but I had turned back to make sure my Pokémon were fully healed before I had made any further advancement.

"Good luck, trainer!" One of the men cheered.

"Thanks. I'll do my best." I responded, before making my first step into the stairway that led to my first opponent, Sidney.

I had studied each of my opponents beforehand, and trained my Pokémon enough to overcome any weaknesses that I might face, so Sidney was not such a difficult foe.

Next, there was Phoebe, Glacia, and finally, Drake.

I had struggled a bit with those last two, even with a level-up advantage over them, but I had somehow worked miracles, and the battles were mine to win.

All that was left to do now was to beat the Champion himself, Steven Stone.

Healing my Pokémon on the way up, the silver haired man faced me, smiling, "Oh, if it isn't Brendan! I've been waiting for you for an awfully long time, now. I've been aching to see how much stronger you've gotten since the last time we met."

"Stronger than ever." I replied. "My team's been waiting for this too."

"I see that." he clapped his hands. "Then, why waste time? Let us make haste! I shall now test your resolve! I assure you that I won't back down, Brendan!"

"And neither will I!" I pulled out my first Pokémon. "Go, Armaldo!"

"Hmm. Interesting." Steven smirked. "Give it all you've got, Aggron!"

This time, I had planned to use Armaldo as my decoy Pokémon. "Let's start off with Protect!"

"Stone Edge, Aggron!" Steven commanded.

"Brick Break!"

"Parry with an Iron Tail."

And so, the battle went on, fluctuating between brief stalemates and decisive finishes.

"I may be down to my last Pokémon, but the fight isn't over yet!" Steven bellowed. "Metagross, I'm counting on you!" the Iron Leg Pokémon appeared, roaring powerfully as a sphere of energy surrounded him. "Metagross, mega evolve!"

"Blaziken, retreat!" I called out. I looked at the pokéball that contained my second to last Pokémon, who I had strategically saved for this moment. "Dusknoir, come on out! Use Earthquake!"

For an instant, I could see Steven clench his jaw as his Mega Metagross took a huge amount of damage, but this quickly went away when he commanded, "Bullet Punch!"

"Shadow Ball, Dusknoir!"

"Brace yourself, Metagross!" As Dusknoir quickly approached the opponent, Steven took a gamble, "Meteor Mash!"

There was a huge collision. An ear-splitting shriek.

Then finally, the victor.

"Congratulations." Steven smiled. "Looks like you're Hoenn's new Champion."

Celebratory confetti cascaded from the ceiling, as the door to the Hall of Fame slid open majestically, along with the cheers of several noticeable people who had come to see my battle. These people were Professor Birch, Wallace, and my parents.

First, I was approached by Professor Birch. "Brendan! That battle just now was simply impressive! I watched the whole thing from the lobby! Congrats on becoming Champ!"

"Thanks, Mr. Birch!" I said, as I shook his hand. He stepped back, which allowed Wallace to give me his speech.

"Since you left Sootopolis, I just knew you'd be worthy enough to take on the League Challenge. And look at you now, my boy! You've made yourself a Champion!" He sang, joyously showering me with praise.

Then, last but not least, my parents also had something to say about my latest accomplishment. Dad guffawed, "I can tell you took my advice to heart, son. I've always been proud of you, and this achievement only goes to show that I could never get tired of seeing you succeed. You earned it!"

"You're Champion now, Brendan. What will you do next?" Mom wondered.

"I've got to enter the Hall of Fame, of course!" I replied. "After that, you'll just have to stay tuned! I'll be back before you know it!"

"Then, let us go to the Hall of Fame at once, to immortalize this moment! Come, this way, Champion Brendan!"

I followed Steven into the room, where I was able to record all of my progress into the extravagantly sized computer.

"How does it feel to be the strongest trainer in Hoenn, Brendan?" Steven asked.

"I feel like I've been here for years… but it's only been several months. It's all so surreal." I replied, while putting my Pokémon away in my belt.

"Time works in strange ways. It's such an elusive concept; one that we are subconsciously aware and unaware of, simultaneously." Steven faced towards me. "As for space… I'll leave May to tell you all about that. It's time for us to leave."

And leave we did. But once I stepped out of that room, parting ways from Steven, I ran into a mysterious figure, who I thought I might have seen before, but I couldn't quite remember when or where.

"Brendan. I've been looking all over for you." the mysterious figure said. "You're probably wondering who I am, but the truth is, we don't have much time. We have to go to Mossdeep. Now."

The mysterious person was about to pull my wrist, but I jumped back, "Wait, hold on! I'm not going anywhere with you. I don't even know who you are, or what your intentions are! Explain yourself!"

"Like I said, you might have a lot of questions about me right now, but I can answer them later." the figure looked into my eyes, "But I will tell you this; the sooner we get to Mossdeep, the better off we'll be. So, let's get going."

"Why? Why should I trust you?!" I yelled, right on the edge of grabbing the woman.

"Because, this is about May."


	10. 2

_**Two**_.

There's people everywhere.

The Mossdeep Space Centre was completely surrounded, and judging by the noise coming from the crowds, I could only fear that there had been some terrible news.

"It's exactly as I feared. The crowd must've gathered while I went to go fetch you..." the woman who brought me here nudged me. "Brendan, I have some business to do elsewhere. But we'll meet again. Right now, your priority is to find May." she summoned a Salamence, and climbed onto its back. "Farewell."

I turned towards the Space Centre, pushing through the sea of people, desperately trying to get to the front. It seemed as if the entire island was packed with reporters, cameramen, journalists, and curious citizens, who all wanted to know the same thing I did, "What the hell is going on?"

I opened up my Pokénav+, hoping to obtain additional information from the local news.

There was an alert flashing across the screen.

_**BREAKING NEWS: ROCKETSHIP FALLS APART AT SPACE CENTRE, MULTIPLE INJURED **_

It wasn't until I had looked up from my screen that I began to hear the sirens of an ambulance coming in my direction, urging people to make way.

It could have been anybody inside of that vehicle, but… it also could've been May.

I rushed to the hospital, where I found the ambulance pulling into the ER driveway, surrounded by medical personnel. I couldn't determine who was being pulled out of the ambulance, so I walked to the hospital's main entrance, where I found the lady I met yesterday at the Space Centre.

I caught up with her, "Excuse me, you're Amanda, right?"

The lady turned around, "Yes, I am. You're the gentleman that was with Miss Birch yesterday."

"My name is Brendan."

"Brendan..." she echoed. "If you're here, then that means you must've seen the news."

"Yes, I have an idea of what happened. Is May inside? I need to know if she's okay."

Amanda took a moment to think. "I'm not supposed to give you any details, but I feel that you have the right to know exactly what happened." she sat down on a nearby bench. "Today, Professor Cozmo planned to test the new space shuttle brought to Mossdeep that had been designed in Slateport. He thought that the astronaut crew was skilled enough to pilot the vehicle in the lower atmosphere, but there was a misalignment during reassembly, and it caused the entire shuttle to fall apart at launch. Only two people were hurt. Thankfully, there weren't any more victims, but they are both currently in mild physical condition. Professor Cozmo called me here to report their medical expenses once they have received treatment."

"One of those astronauts was May, wasn't it?"

Amanda winced. "Yes."

"Then, I have to go find her. I can't just sit here without making sure if she's okay or not." I stood, and called out over my shoulder, "And thanks, Amanda. You've been of great help."

"I'm only doing my job. Now, go. I'm sure Miss Birch needs you."

I nodded, and walked as quickly as I could to the front desk. I asked where May Birch was going to be located, and received directions to get to her room. I was also advised to stay outside of the room until the doctor had examined her injuries.

I went up a flight of stairs to get to the second floor, through several hallways, and finally arrived at her room. Name plates were attached above each door, so I was quickly able to find the one that indicated May Birch. The timetable next to the doorknob showed that the doctor just left May's room, so I thought it'd be alright for me to enter now.

I knocked twice.

A loud fumble could be heard from the other side. "Y-yes?" A voice cried out.

That was definitely May.

"Hey. It's me, Brendan."

"B-Brendan?" I walked in as she struggled to speak. "Why are you here?"

"I heard that there was an accident." I sat next to her, trying to ease the tension. "I'm relieved to see that you're still in one piece."

"But my current condition isn't something I can just walk off." May held a breath in between her thoughts. She sighed, slowly slouching back under her sheets. "So…" she began, "I guess this means I won't be doing any training for a while."

I looked down into my lap. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

That didn't help me feel any less guilty. Besides that, I also didn't think it would be wise to tell her about the mysterious woman that I encountered at the Pokémon League.

Her hand reached out to grasp my shirt, so I looked up to see May inspecting the Pokémon Champion ribbon pinned on me.

"You beat the League..."

"Yeah. I just became Champion today."

"That's great!" she smiled weakly. "I knew you could do it. I'm just sorry that I can't jump up and congratulate you properly right now."

"It's okay. I still appreciate the sentiment. But I should've thought of a better time to show you."

"Don't say that. I'm glad that you showed me now. It really cheered me up. So… thank you."

"Anytime."

We talked for a little while after that until the doctor came back into the room. During that time, May didn't feel like telling me anything about what had happened, but I decided that it would be best to wait for her to tell me when she felt comfortable enough to do so.

Sometimes, I forget that we're only sixteen years old, and that some experiences we have include those that we simply were not born ready for. I was willing to give May as much time as she needed to heal before she could share her feelings with me.

I returned to Littleroot after leaving the hospital, where I found the strange woman from earlier today.

"How's May doing?" she asked.

"She seemed to be fine. I didn't see or hear about any life-threatening injuries." I replied.

"That's good." the woman balanced a Salamencite between her fingers, then she added, "She's a nice girl." as if that explained anything.

"That aside, I believe there are several questions that you left unanswered."

"Are there?"

"You know what I'm talking about." I narrowed my eyes at her. "Who are you?"

"Zinnia." the woman answered.

"Come on, there's more to it than that."

"You're a nosy one." Zinnia huffed. "I don't get why you distrust me so much. I just so happen to be an astronaut-in-training as well."

I crossed my arms. "So why didn't you tell me before?"

"Didn't I tell you there was no time? I had something important to do."

"And you expect me to trust you." I stated, matter-of-factly. I wanted her to understand that this wasn't a question.

"Hmph! Guess it can't be helped then." Zinnia walked forward a few steps, then turned on her heel. "I'm a descendant of the Draconids. A Lorekeeper, to be exact. Understand?" Although I didn't answer, she continued, "My primary duty is to keep Hoenn in balance and fulfill my role as Lorekeeper. As a result, I sometimes get these…" she was facing away from me now, waving her hand pensively. "visions."

"Visions?"

"Visions from various points in time and space."

"What do you mean by that?"

I waited for her to elaborate, but she remained silent, bouncing the Salamencite between her fingers continuously. I cleared my throat to remind her that I was running out of patience.

"A great tragedy will befall us." she murmured. "I saw it in a vision, long ago. My senses led me to the Space Centre, and now… they led me to you." she looked up, her red eyes glowing like burning coal after a fire."That's how I knew you were in Ever Grande."

I grimaced at her, "But there's something I don't understand… what does any of this have to do with May? Why would you undergo training to become an astronaut?"

"If May fails..." Zinnia turned her attention towards the Litleo constellation. "then it is up to me to change fate."

She began to slip away into the darkness, and despite my efforts to stop her, she was already gone by the time I had turned the corner. There was no use searching for her now, so I returned home to have dinner and take a shower before calling it a night.

Once I was in my room, I thought about the things Zinnia had mentioned. The fate of the world, cryptic visions of the future…

There was a strange feeling in my stomach.

I could almost hear the entire world turn. A quiet reminder that time continues to march on, regardless of the significance of anybody's lives. Impending tragedy…

Suddenly, it hit me.

_You're the one that destiny chose… aren't you?_


	11. 1

_**One**_.

It's past 9 in the morning, and I'm just outside of May's hospital room, debating on what I should say to her once I've decided to go in. I know that she's probably not awake yet, but I don't mind waiting for her.

I stare out the window, and it gives me a good view of a crumpled heap of metal being hauled away by an army of Durants. A group of Space Centre personnel and construction workers were guiding the army to another location, probably to send the debris back to Slateport.

That must be the space shuttle that broke down yesterday.

As I got lost in thought, the sound of someone passing by caught my attention. I looked to my left to see a young man with his arm in a sling, surprised to find me in the hall.

"Brendan." the young man piped. "It's been an awfully long time."

"Hasn't it?" I smiled at him. "You look like you've gotten a lot stronger since the last time I saw you, Wally."

"You think so? It's kinda funny that you say that while my arm is stuck in a sling." Wally laughed nervously.

"How'd that happen?" I blurted out, silently cursing myself for asking so soon after the accident.

"Well… I'm not sure, actually." Wally looked down at his feet. "I blacked out during the collapse. I didn't even feel anything."

"I see…"

"When I came to, May was trapped underneath a pile of rubble, and I was being hauled off to the hospital. Since then, I have no actual idea what happened yesterday."

"Do you remember what happened before the incident? Like who you were with, for example?"

"Yeah, I can remember all of that, no problem. We were told to board the spaceship and go for a test drive. I got on first, followed by May, Zinnia, and then Andre."

There it is. The name of the last person on May's space team.

"Who is Andre?"

"Andre? He's a strange one… to be honest, I don't think he's from around these parts."

"What is it that makes him strange?"

"He's always so distant from everyone else. I mean, he's a good team leader, but he's just so... quiet. The only person he ever talks to is Zinnia." Wally fiddled with his amulet, trying to recall more details. "I didn't mean to, but I overheard them once. Their discussion was really thought-provoking… although it kinda did make me uncomfortable."

"What were they talking about?"

Wally looked at me intently. "You might think the theory is a bit… absurd, but they were having a conversation about the possibility of alternate universes." he scratched his head nervously. "To tell you the truth, I'm not really good at explaining these types of things, so if you'd ever like to learn more about it, you should ask Andre. Zinnia never seems to be around… "

I laughed quietly at that last part. "I believe you, alright."

"You've met her?"

"She wanders around a lot. I've spoken to her a number of times."

"I always wondered why she does that.

It's almost as if… she's looking for something, you know?"

There was an awkward pause in dialogue as Wally coughed softly.

Filling in the gap, I replied, "That's probably what she's doing right now, at least while the space shuttle is getting rebuilt. When will you guys be back at the Space Centre?"

"I'll be out by the end of today. I only suffered from a dislocated shoulder. But I don't know anything about May's condition." Wally turned towards the door. "I wanted to see her before the doctor comes in to check up on her. Do you want to stick around?"

"No, thanks." I wanted to speak to May alone. "I'll just stop by later today if I can."

"Alright then. Take care, Brendan!"

"You too."

Leaving the hospital, I half-expected Zinnia to conveniently pop out of nowhere, but when I realized that wasn't the case, I headed over to the Mossdeep Space Centre.

"Good morning, Brendan." Amanda greeted from her post. "How are you?"

"I've been okay." I smiled. "I'm sorry to bother you while you're doing your job, but do you know where Andre is, by any chance?"

"Andre?" Amanda held her face pensively. "Oh my, he could be anywhere… but if I had to guess, he might be in Meteor Falls over by Fallarbor Town. I'm not sure."

"Don't worry. You've been very helpful, Amanda." I nodded courteously. "I always appreciate your efforts."

"Thank you. But again, I apologize for not being able to give you an exact answer."

"You're fine." I began to head out the door. "Thank you, too!"

After flying to Fallarbor and making a beeline to Meteor Falls, I entered the cave, searching high and low for any sign of an "Andre". Unsuccessful on the main level, I moved further into Meteor Falls by having Sharpedo climb up the waterfall.

If I hadn't looked around the corner and kept going forward, I would have missed the red-headed stranger standing in front of a large dent in the wall, staring at it like it was an art display.

This young man could've been Andre. But I thought that it would be awkward to outright ask him to identify himself, so I took a different approach instead.

"Excuse me." I stepped towards the young man, which made him turn around. "Are you observing the ancient craters, perhaps?"

"Indeed." The young man turned back towards the dent. "But this hole right here is no crater. In fact, I excavated this portion of the wall myself."

I came closer to him. "What are you looking for?"

"I already found it. A Mega Stone." The wall crumbled as he gave it a good, hard punch. He caught the stone, staring down at it, speckled with droplets of his blood. "Isn't it gorgeous? To think that such an alluring item exists in our world, and yet, as humans, we cannot even begin to truly appreciate it."

I was more concerned with his cut hand, although the blood was beginning to dry on his knuckles, than whatever cynical message he was trying to spew.

"I beg your pardon, but have we met before?" the red-head asked. Narrowing his eyes, he spoke before I could reply. "No, don't tell me. I know who you are. You must be the young man May spoke so fondly about. Brendan." I nodded in agreement. "Of course. It's no wonder you two are acquaintances. After all, you both have the same look in your eyes."

It came to my mind that this statement wasn't intended to compliment me. I pursed my lips tightly, unsure of what to say.

The man continued with his soliloquy, "Ah, but… where are my manners? I haven't even introduced myself." he presented his hand towards me. "My name is Andre. I'm one of the astronauts-in-training from Mossdeep."

Yes, this was the one.

I shook his hand, and began with my list of pending inquiries, "What brings you to Hoenn? Why do you want to become an astronaut here?"

"That, my friend, is simple." he held up the Mega Stone. "These stones... I believe they came from space. This region has the most advanced space program and geological evidence for my hypothesis. Hence, why I wish to become an astronaut."

"That's respectable, but why go to space if the evidence for your theory is in this cave?"

Andre's blue eyes expressed bewilderment, staring at me in disbelief, "Don't you see, Brendan? If I can find an exact stone like this, whether on a meteorite or a comet- or even an asteroid- then, my findings will prove to be conclusive!" he took a moment to compose himself, and said more quietly, "It'll be the discovery of the century. Unsurpassable! And if I can prove that theory… then that means we aren't alone." There was only the quiet rumble of the waterfall as Andre looked at me expectantly. Finally, he sighed, "You don't understand, do you?"

I had the slightest idea what he was getting at, but I shook my head in order to obtain more information.

"Yes. That's what I thought." Andre placed a hand on his waist. "Then, I shall start from the beginning…

"Roughly 3000 years ago, in my homeland, there was a great war. Many brave men and Pokémon died in this war, and the king decided that the only way to stop the fighting completely was by building the ultimate weapon, meant to destroy the world. Fortunately, the weapon failed to annihilate all life, but when it fired… well, the world- the universe as we know it; it was never quite the same again.

"The energy that the ultimate weapon released, the life force of all the Pokémon sacrificed to power this machine, was more than enough to split the universe in two… perhaps even more. But as far as I know, there are two realities in which we exist."

I recalled the phrase Wally had mentioned. "Alternate universes…"

Andre laughed. "So you did know!" he clapped his hands joyously. "Yes, what I am referring to is the theory of alternate universes. Though, I would consider it as fact, at this point. You've met Zinnia, haven't you?" I nodded, and he continued, "You could say she and I are… innovative. At least, when it comes to intelligent thought. The Draconids have always foreseen the events of the future, as well as the events of the other universe. But no one believes us. Our ideas are dismissed as nonsense, and we have no choice but to speak about them amongst ourselves.

"It never fails to amaze me how dim people can be! Such fools they are! And they call themselves professionals! The world would be a much more beautiful place without them. But alas, destiny is inevitable. This is true for both worlds." He leaned in, "Surely… you've realized that by now."

I gulped slowly.

Andre backed away, smiling.

This man…

"Anyways, on a brighter note, did you know that we are currently standing in the ancient home of the Draconids? Zinnia told me so herself." he began to walk away. "I will go meet her now. It was a pleasure to speak with you, Brendan."

Who knows where Andre went after that.

I returned to Mossdeep later that day, hoping that I could pay May a visit. The sun was still in the sky, but dusk was quickly approaching.

Once again, I was waiting outside of May's hospital room. I couldn't explain exactly why I had been nervous to come here before, but I felt a little more confident towards meeting her this time.

I knocked.

"Come on in!" A feminine voice called out.

I turned the doorknob, looking around to see May, and I noticed that she had several bruises all over her body that I hadn't noticed the day before. I thought it was a miracle that she survived, given how mangled the space shuttle earlier today, but it only made me wonder more about what happened during the accident.

She turned to me, blinking. "Oh, hey there, Brendan."

"Do you feel any better?"

"A bit. More or less the same as yesterday."

The setting sun did little to brighten up the room we were in. Everything seemed dull and somber, like smoke clearing after a devastating fire.

I sat next to her again, just like I did yesterday, but this time, the room felt colder, even though the window was tightly shut. Or maybe, I simply didn't notice it before.

"I know this is a bit sudden, considering all that's happened… but will you continue with the program after you recover?" I asked.

She didn't reply right away, "Of course. In fact, the doctor said I'll be making a full recovery in three days. I'll be back before you know it."

I stared at my shadow below, directly contrasting the stark white porcelain tiles.

A sigh. "You don't believe me, do you?"

"It's not that." my eyes didn't leave the floor. "I'm just… worried about you. I feel like you're not giving yourself enough time."

"You know that I can't stay here forever. I have to return as soon as possible."

We were now facing each other, eye to eye.

"I'm aware of that, but you can't travel to the stars if you aren't in the best condition." I tried to postulate. "If you're afraid that you'll lose sight of your dream, then, I'll always be here to support you, no matter how long it takes." I leaned forward, giving her a hug.

She hugged back, placing her head on my shoulder for support. I could feel the tears that welled up inside her, ready to spill out under the weight of her heart, too heavy for her to hold.

I wanted to catch them for her.

But not a single tear fell from her eyes.

"You're amazing, Brendan." she breathed into my shoulder. "In comparison, I…"

"You're just as amazing." I finished. "Don't say anything less of yourself."

The moment was still after I said that. An eternity could have passed us by, and we wouldn't even know the difference. There was only the sound of our combined breathing; an indication that we were alive, not frozen in time.

We broke apart. Her face was warm, and I could still feel it, even from here.

She spoke. "Brendan… I really wish that you didn't have to see me like this." she looked down at her hands. "I can't stop thinking about that flight… I feel like I've been nothing but a burden…"

"You're not. Not in the slightest." I answered. "But if you want to talk about it, to get those thoughts off of your chest, then… I'll listen."

"Is it really okay?"

"Of course."

She sighed, staring into the window, as if following the invisible path that her heavy breath took. Leaning against the back of her hospital bed, all of her bottled emotions overflowed, as I listened to her intently, moved by the sound of her calming voice.

"I was sitting there in the cockpit, right next to Wally. We were following the procedure, as usual, getting ready for takeoff. As soon as I buckled in, the countdown started, so we were all patiently waiting to initiate the flight.

"While the engine was firing up, Wally mentioned that he heard some creaking, and it was making him nervous. I managed to make him settle down, but when we got off of the ground, right around the 30 foot mark, disaster struck.

"A portion of the cockpit wall folded into a sharp corner, collapsing under its own weight. Wally's suit was impaled by it, and began to leak oxygen. I tried to call out to him, but he didn't respond… and then… I panicked.

"I cut off my seatbelt along with his, lunging towards him in a desperate attempt to pull his unconscious body out of his seat. He just wouldn't budge, even though I kept pulling and pulling with all my might… I called for help, but Zinnia and Andre had already ejected without me realizing it. I was stuck there, running out of time.

"I couldn't hear anything over the sound of the metal shifting and scraping… I could hardly hear everyone from the Centre screaming at me. I decided to turn off the engine, and in that short burst of time before impact, I sandwiched myself between the collapsing walls and pushed Wally out successfully, switching places with him. Using my foot, I hit the ejection lever of my seat, and made sure that Wally escaped.

"Then… there was the crash. I broke both of my legs right after the last part of the rescue. I felt so much pain, all over my body, that I thought that I would die. So, as if accepting my fate, I closed my eyes, and I didn't wake up until I arrived at the hospital. Now, here I am… useless and lame, unable to move from my place… I don't even know what's going to become of me after this." she looked at me, bursting into tears, sobbing. "I'm afraid… that my dream won't come true!"

"Shhh, it'll be alright, May." I was cradling her in my arms again. "You've been through a lot, but if anything, this only makes you a better astronaut than Zinnia or Andre could've ever been. You bravely faced danger, and even saved Wally in the entire process. No one is dead, thanks to you, and that's something you should be proud of."

"Brendan…"

"I know this is hard for you to deal with, but that's why I'm here." I held her flushed face in my hands. "I want to help you go through it all, because, more than anything, I want to be the one to see you fly."

May sniffled, wiping her nose with the tissue she was holding. She leaned into my chest, and I could feel her listening to my heartbeat. "I'm so glad that I met you, Brendan." she said. "Even though I'm a literal mess right now, and I keep getting choked up, you don't think any less of me for that. You believe in me, even when I don't believe in myself."

The sun had set by now, but the room was illuminated by a streetlamp just outside of the window. All I could focus on were those clear blue eyes of hers, darkened by the shadows growing in the room, damp from all of her tears.

"You believed in me, and offered your support, so I shall do the same for you. No matter what." I replied.

There was something more I wanted to say… something I should've told her in that moment… but my cowardice kept me silent.

"Then… could you take care of my Pokémon for me, at least until I recover? They don't know that I'm injured, but I'd like nothing more than to see them again after I've gotten stronger."

"Where are they?"

"My bag is in that corner over there. You can take the entire thing, since I won't be needing it anytime soon."

I let go of her, and walked over to pick up her bag. "Don't worry. You can count on me. They'll be in good hands."

She smiled, "I'm sure of it."

Then, suddenly, a voice split us apart, "Miss Birch, it's time." I turned to see the doctor, who was a man in his late forties, worn down by years of experience in his profession.

I took his announcement as a sign that I had to leave. "See you later, May."

She waved back, half-smiling, as I walked out the door, into the moonlit hall.

I left the hospital shortly after my exchange with May, with the intention of returning to Littleroot.

When I flipped open my Pokénav+ to check the time, I discovered something quite peculiar.

Earlier, May said that her injuries will heal in three days. The day before yesterday, Amanda reminded May that the Litleonid meteor shower will occur on the 17th of this month.

The month is November, and the day is the 14th.

So that means that in three days, precisely on the day of the Litleonid meteor shower, May will have fully recovered from her condition…

But what is the significance of those events? Is this the inescapable fate Andre and Zinnia were talking about? Exactly what is the tragedy? What does all of this mean?

All I know is that all aspects of this situation are interconnected somehow.

I just needed to figure out how…

When I returned to the hospital the next morning, I learned that I wouldn't be able to see May for two days, due to the leg surgery that the doctor performed on her last night.

Thanks to advances in medicine and the help of healing Pokémon, what would have been nearly a month of immobilization was shortened to merely days. I was grateful that she would be able to heal soon, but it didn't diminish my amount of worry for her wellbeing.

With almost nothing better to do, I spent an entire, uneventful day waiting for a competent challenger to confront me in the Pokémon League.

I hardly talked with the Elite Four members, mostly because I had nothing to talk to them about. They were all either caught up in their own interests, or felt indifferent towards mine. In the end, it didn't bother me all that much.

I scrolled through the various photographs I took while I was on my journey, which usually featured May and her Pokémon team as the subjects.

Speaking of May's Pokémon, they were busy sparring against mine in the opposite end of the hall, carefully trying not to cause any property damage.

They had each taken a liking to me, since I fed them Pokéblocks every once in a while to keep them from getting hungry. I smiled in their direction, feeling content that I had them to keep me company.

It was probably around dusk that I had received my first visitor of the day… and it wasn't someone I was looking forward to seeing.

"So you finally decided to tend to your duties as Pokémon Champion." a voice called out.

I knew who it was right away, "Zinnia."

"Good evening, Brendan."

"How did you even get in here?"

"Same way I got in last time." she descended from the beams holding up the ceiling, chuckling all the way down. "But that's not relevant right now. I heard from Andre that you've met him in Meteor Falls, and I have to say, you should've pursued a career as a detective instead."

I didn't waste any time mincing my words. "Look, I'm tired of you and Andre playing this childish game of hide-and-seek tag with me. If you would just tell me what's going on, maybe I'd do as you say, instead of jumping through hoops just to get half-assed answers!"

"There is a reason for everything, Brendan. If I give you too much information now, I'm certain that you'd become obsessed with changing the outcome of the events meant to take place."

"Then why did you even bother to involve me in the first place?!"

Dead silence.

"Answer me!"

A heartbeat passed… then two. Until at last, Zinnia let out a long sigh, "Oh, Brendan, no matter how much I tell you, you never seem to understand." she clicked her tongue in disapproval. "But if you so wish to drive yourself mad, then so be it, I shall entertain you.

"The day of the Litleonid meteor shower, you and May will not meet. If Andre's secret is not revealed, he will go on to become a successful businessman in the technology industry, precisely 13 years in the future. As for myself, in the event that I fail to travel to outer space, I shall wander the ends of the Earth aimlessly, with no purpose, which directly depends on the success of May's mission."

"Is that so? Then tell me, Zinnia, exactly _where_ do I fit in all of this? Am I just going to do absolutely nothing? I still don't even know what this whole 'tragedy' is supposed to be!"

There was a brief moment of silence, before Zinnia unexpectedly turned away from me and started walking down the hall.

"Hey! Come back here! As far as I'm aware, this isn't goddamn over!" I snarled.

"You're right. But it's just that…" Zinnia paused. "I can't seem to figure out a way to tell you that you've already done your part."

"...What?"

Sharply, she hissed, "You were only a catalyst for the events leading up to now."

_How…. could it be that I was always involved… but simply never knew it…? _


	12. 0

_**Zero.**_

Where had I gone wrong?

What choice did I make that ultimately led up to this?

Zinnia scoffed, "Well? The truth you so desperately wanted isn't as pleasant as you thought, is it?" a timid Whismur crept out from behind her, which made Zinnia pause to gently pat its head. "You can't defy fate, but if it makes you feel any better, you can do as you please with the remainder of your time. Or even nothing at all, if that's what you want instead. Just keep in mind that no matter what you do, nothing is going to change."

I hadn't gone mute, "...What if you're wrong?"

"Wrong?" Zinnia considered the thought. "No, I doubt it. My visions are absolute, in terms of both this universe and the next."

"Then, do your visions come at will? And how are you able to tell the difference between which universe you are able to see? What if what you're telling me is happening in the other universe you're speaking of?"

"I'm a Lorekeeper, not a fortune-teller. Obviously, I don't choose to see these things. I inherited this ability from my predecessor, after all. As for how I know which universe my visions belong to? Well, it's all a matter of details. Take the previous Pokémon League Champion as an example. In this timeline, who was it?"

"Steven."

"Yes. And in one of the other timelines… it's actually Wallace."

An idea suddenly came to mind. "...Is there any way you could show me?"

Zinnia raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You still don't trust me, do you? I figured as much." she suddenly grabbed onto both of my wrists. "Just stand still, and whatever happens, don't let go!"

Before I could protest, I found myself falling into a deep, disorienting tunnel at a dizzying rate. When I opened my eyes again, there was sunlight, and we were no longer in the Pokémon League.

"Is this… the other universe?" I mumbled.

I heard Zinnia laugh, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Pfft! As if I had those kinds of powers! No, right now, we are currently inside of my mind. You're seeing the world as I see it, through my eyes."

"So I'm taking your place, then? I guess it kinda explains why I can't see myself."

"Glad you somewhat understand. Since these are my memories, neither you or I have any control of our movements. You could say it's like… a cutscene of sorts."

"Okay…"

I noticed that I was in a room I've never been in. At first, I was startled by the thick, white space suit arm that poked out in front of me, but then I remembered that this wasn't my body. It was Zinnia's.

Zinnia reached out to push the curtains of a window aside, which, to my surprise, revealed the space shuttle that had broken down the other day.

"We're in Mossdeep Space Centre?"

"Yes. This is my changing room. And before I forget, let me just say that no one can hear us speaking to each other, since this is a memory, but if you talk during my interactions with others within this memory, you might not be able to hear what they're saying."

"Got it."

A knock at the door interrupted us, and Zinnia walked over to answer. "Oh, Champion Wallace."

Sure enough, Wallace was, in fact, the Pokémon Champion. But… he looked a little different in a way I couldn't quite put my finger on.

Wallace's face displayed a sad facial expression that I had never seen him make. "Look, Zinnia… are you sure you really want to do this? Thanks to Professor Cozmo, we have enough meteorite energy to power the shuttle, but… what if you don't come back?"

"It's part of my purpose. I was born to protect Hoenn, even if it means giving up my own life. No one else is willing to do it, so it's all up to me now." Zinnia huffed. She laid a gloved hand on Wallace's shoulder. "You, of all people, should know this."

"Yes, I do, but… who will be Lorekeeper after you?"

"You will. Naturally."

"But I'm not of Draconid descent."

"You already protect the Cave of Origin. You are fit for the role. Perhaps even more so than I am."

"Zinnia…"

Without another word, she walked past Wallace, into a bright beam of light.

My eyes fluttered open, and Zinnia smiled at me. "There. Believe me now?"

"So… that was another… timeline I just saw?" I questioned.

"Correct. A timeline from the other universe, in which Mega Evolution doesn't exist, and Wallace was the former Pokémon Champion, until you renounced your position and went to conquer the Battle Frontier instead."

"The… Battle Frontier?"

"Don't worry about it." Zinnia crossed her arms. "More importantly, are you beginning to understand the concept of these visions?"

"It's too much information to process at once. Every time I feel like I understand something, you keep throwing another informational curve ball at me. It's confusing." I admitted.

"As always, quite predictably, I was expecting this." Zinnia chuckled. "When the time comes, I will leave you with a book that I wrote, which describes everything I told you and have yet to tell you, in great detail. It will take you a long time to fully understand it, but I assure you… you'll know what to do then." she began to retreat back into the shadows. "We shall meet again at the peak of Sky Pillar, on the day after the Litleonid meteor shower. Until then, do not seek me. If you do, your efforts… will be futile."

The last thing I heard was the sound of her cloak fluttering in the darkness.

The moonlight spilling onto the mirror-polished floor reminded me of the time, so I locked up the facility before going home, still wondering exactly where Zinnia slipped in.

I didn't get a full night of sleep.

At around 3 in the morning, I woke up to a loud buzzer blaring from the other side of the room, where I had left May's bag. Dragging my feet on the carpet, I trudged over to the bag, and opened it to find May's Pokénav+ vibrating violently.

I flipped the screen open.

_**CRITICAL ALERT!: ASTEROID ON COLLISION COURSE. REPORT TO THE SPACE CENTRE IMMEDIATELY. **_

An asteroid.

I nearly dropped the Pokénav+ in shock.

So… this is the tragedy.

It's just as Zinnia said. The entire fate of the world is in danger.

May is meant to prevent this from happening… but how could she, if she's still recovering!?

I darted out of my house, not wasting a single moment to get to Mossdeep.

I have to make sure that May is safe!

I jogged through the hospital, doing my best not to cause a major disruption. But all I cared about in that moment of impulse was getting to May's room.

I flung the door open. "_MAY_!"

A breeze from the windows was the only response I got.

"Where-! Where are you!? May!" I shuffled around frantically, looking for her.

Andre was at the door. His silhouette seemed to smile in the dark.

"Brendan, my friend. What seems to be the matter?" he pretended to check a nonexistent wristwatch. "It's so early in the morning. You've woken up quite a lot of people."

"You-!" I pulled Andre by the collar. "What the hell did you do to May?!"

"No need to be so aggressive, now." Andre said coyly.

"I knew since the start that you were no good!" I slammed him into the wall. "Tell me where she is, or you'll find yourself on the other side of that window!"

He kept playing innocent. "You saw the alert, didn't you? That's why you're here, yes?" he hissed in my face. "She's going to stop that asteroid, of course."

"Both of her legs are broken, dumbass!"

He chuckled. "_Were_ broken, my friend. After all, I was the one who cured her. Actually, no, that's not right. I simply had the idea on how to cure her. The sickly Wally was the one who brought Latias and made a Healing Wish for May. You should be thanking him."

I didn't dare loosen my grip on him. "Why the hell would you do that?! You're an astronaut, for Arceus' sake!"

"Yes… I still desire to go to space, but not if it means I may potentially lose my life. After all… in 13 years, I'm destined for grandiosity. That's hardly something I'm willing to give up for the safety of this miserable planet."

Hearing the footsteps of medical personnel fast approaching, I let go of Andre. "Don't you dare think I'm done with you! If you leave this region, I will track you down, Andre, mark my words!"

I left him there, and made my way out of the hospital, snaking through the stairs on the other side of the building to get to the exit.

By the time I had made it to the Mossdeep Space Centre, I was too late.

The doors were closed.

I whipped my head around, looking for another way in, and then, an idea hit me.

The roof!

"Flygon, take me to the roof!" I called out as I summoned my companion. Flygon took no time to question me, and did as I requested.

To my surprise, the door that led to the top floor was unlocked, but I had no time to think about why that was the case.

As I snuck through the halls, a deep, authoritative voice caught my attention, and I quietly stopped to listen in on the conversation taking place.

"Does anyone have any suggestions as to how we should deal with this situation?"

A younger, male voice piped up. "We could open up a portal and teleport it to another dimension?"

"What kind of solution is that? We need to get rid of it. In other words, actually destroy it. Who knows if we can even create a portal large enough for that thing." there was a pregnant pause. "Professor Cozmo?"

Although I couldn't see anyone, I could practically hear the professor adjusting his glasses. "We need to send a rocket. It's the only thing large enough and capable of destroying the incoming projectile."

"Yes… that would be the best approach. But if we're sending a rocket, there has to be a pilot." the deep-voiced male seemed to be lost in thought. "So… who do we send?"

"Wally. He's the best candidate."

There seemed to be an agreement with everyone in the room.

Everyone approved… everyone except one.

"No!" May's voice was followed by the slamming of her fists on the table. "I refuse to allow Wally to go on this mission."

"But Miss Birch, what could you-"

"Wally will NOT be going, and that's final. He's not strong enough for the mission."

"Who are you to decide that? If I'm not mistaken, you were literally crippled until 15 minutes ago. Wally is our most suitable candidate."

Annoyance towards the younger man seeped into her voice."Ah, but don't forget, Mr. Hayes, Wally still has a chronic lung disability. He could pass out during the launch, just like he did a couple of days ago. Therefore, my argument still stands."

Complete silence filled the room as May grew more and more impatient by the second. "Well? Does anyone have any better ideas?"

Again, silence.

"Fine then. _I'll_ go."

As soon as she stormed out of the room, the entire conference room began to chatter, and before I knew it, there was an uproar.

To escape the chaos, I followed May, and found myself back on the roof where I had entered. She was slumped against the wall with her elbows on her knees and her hands gripping her own hair.

"May?" I said gently.

"Brendan." she responded, but her voice sounded strained. "How did you even get in? You're not supposed to be here."

I closed the door behind me. "May…" I repeated. I tried to use a comforting tone with her. "That's not important right now. I heard that you escaped from the hospital."

She didn't answer.

"Listen, May, I'm not mad… I just want to know why you did it. That's all."

May turned her back towards me, staring at the empty launch pad behind the Centre. Her chest rose and fell erratically as she did her best to muffle her sobs.

I hugged her shoulders, letting her cry on my arm. "I'm worried about you." I added, "You can tell me anything. You know that."

She turned around in my arms, her face still flushed, tears streaming downwards endlessly. "The asteroid is going to kill us all, and I'm the only one who can stop it, Brendan. I knew it! Since the very beginning!"

I was stunned. "You... _knew_? How?"

"I've studied the stars for a long time now, Brendan. This asteroid has always passed by the Earth for the past 1000 years. I feared that it was going to crash into us soon, sometime around now."

Now I was on the verge of tears. "But… why? Why do you feel the need to stop it? Why risk your life to destroy this monstrosity?"

"Because, if Andre goes, he will fail, and the entire world will come to an abrupt end. But if Zinnia goes… there will be no way to see into the other universe, whose timelines affect us just as much as we affect it."

"How did you even get Wally to help you break out of the hospital? You were just recovering from surgery."

"Wally… ever since the accident, he felt guilty over what happened to me. He told me that he would make it up to me, in any way he could. And so… he granted my wish."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

"May… I can't let you do this. It's a suicide mission!"

"I know." May clutched the lapels of her lab coat. "But I must do it, despite that possibility."

"There… there has to be another way! It can't honestly end like this!" I cupped my hands around hers. "We even made plans to meet and watch the meteor shower together. You promised, and so did I."

She blushed now, still sniffling from her emotional outburst. "I won't break my promise. After this is over, I want to spend my time with you, Brendan, because I know that we haven't had enough of it to spend together for the past few months. So please… let me do this. Let me fight… for us."

I still wasn't convinced. I only held onto her tighter, desperately not wanting her to leave.

"Wait, I have an idea." May said. "Do you have my Pokénav?"

I pulled it out from my pocket. "Yeah. What are you going to do with it?"

"This is going to be how we'll be able to speak to each other. So you can be sure that I'll return."

"...I'd like that." I returned her Pokénav to her.

"Then that's just what I'll do. You can be sure of that." she untied her headband from her hair, and for the first time, I realized that it was actually a bandana. "Take this too. It's a symbol of my determination to return. You can tie it back on for me when I come back."

"Okay. I'll… I'll be waiting, then. Because I believe in you, and I know that you aren't one to break promises."

"I would like to stay with you a little longer, Brendan, but now, I have to make plans to go into space. As soon as they set up the rocket, I must be fully prepared."

"Good luck, May." I called out, letting her get out of my arms.

"Thanks." she said simply. Smiling at me, she descended the stairs.

There's not much time left.

I made my way downstairs to the first floor without drawing any attention to myself. Sitting in one of the benches, I watched the entire Mossdeep Space Centre crew get to work on the mission.

Because I hadn't slept much the night before, I dozed off, and was probably asleep for an hour or so, until I heard a loud alarm blare on the intercom that jolted me awake.

_**SECURING LAUNCH AREA. READY TO INITIATE COUNTDOWN. **_

I looked out the window, and saw a huge rocketship with the name, _"MOSSDEEP HOPE"_ printed on the side. The rocketship was nothing like the space shuttle that I saw the other day. For one, it was very slim in design, and it was painted completely black, save for the letters.

My Pokénav started beeping, and it took me a second to remember that May said that she was going to call me.

I picked up right away, "May, is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Sorry it kinda took so long to get situated. Everyone was rushing and doing their best to get me in here, you could say." she chuckled nervously.

"I understand." I said. "Umm, but before we continue…"

"Yes?"

"Can anyone else hear us?"

"No. I muted my microphone, but I can still hear them. Whatever we say to each other, stays between us."

My heart started beating a little more rapidly than usual. "I see…"

There was a short pause.

"Trying to think of the right words to say, huh?"

"I g-guess. Yeah." I stuttered.

"Are you nervous?"

"Me? Nervous? You're the one that's about to go to outer space to save the world."

I could hear her smile. "You're right about that. I'm nervous too."

"Miss Birch. Miss Birch, can you hear me?" the deep male voice from earlier asked.

"I'm going to need you to be quiet, Brendan. They can't have you thinking you're a spy or anything."

"Okay." I replied.

May unmuted her microphone, and began speaking in some technical jargon that I couldn't understand.

The last thing I heard from the deep voice was, "Miss Birch, we are going to begin the countdown. Are you ready?"

"Ready, Captain." May responded.

I could only assume that May muted her microphone again, because she returned to talking to me. "Here we go, Brendan. It's my time to shine."

I could hear the countdown starting from 30 in the background, but I tried my best to tune it out to hear May. "My dream would've never been possible without you, Brendan."

"You… you've said that before. I remember."

"Yes, but I could never say it enough."

"And I could never get used to hearing it from you."

May laughed. "Oh, Brendan… you're adorable."

I blushed brightly. She didn't have to know. "T-thanks?"

"No, really. You are. You could be friends with anyone, because you're such a kind, supportive person. Unlike me."

"I don't think that's true." then I said, a bit quietly, "I think you're lovely."

"Lovely…" she echoed.

"There's… so many good things about you, that I think you sell yourself short sometimes. It might take a little effort to boost your confidence, but I'm sure that once you do, you'd have a lot of… admirers."

"Do you... admire me, Brendan?"

I whispered. "Of course."

"Then… you're the only one that I need."

_**Liftoff**_.

The rocket ascended, going high into the atmosphere at supersonic speed, powered by pure Infinity Energy. A very loud "_BOOM!_" echoed throughout the atmosphere as she broke the sound barrier.

May was still speaking to me. "Brendan? Are you still there?"

"Yes, I am."

"I'm relieved. Well, anyways, we have ten seconds left before impact."

"Ten seconds? Already?"

"Never doubt the power of Infinity Energy!"

"Well… if there's anything else I wanted to say, it's that I..."

"Go on."

"I'm grateful that you think of me in that way. For the longest time now, I felt… unworthy to even be with you, because I thought that I had to be just as great of a person as you are. I guess, in a way, I kinda rushed myself to become the Champion."

"Hearing it from you, I think we really are a lot more similar than I thought. I've felt the same way. We both put one another on a pedestal, only to accept each other for who we are."

"Yeah. I agree with that."

"Thank you, Brendan. For everything. I'm glad we were able to embark on a Pokémon journey together, and that we even share a love for the stars." she sounded like she was about to cry.

"May…"

"The asteroid's in my sight." she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry that you have to hear this from me… but… goodbye."

"May-!"

A crash. And then static.

"May… MAY! Are you there? May!" I looked down at my Pokénav screen. No signal.

I rushed outside. Still no signal.

In anger, I threw my Pokénav on the ground, frustrated with myself. Then, there was a growing void inside of my heart.

Betrayal.

_You lied to me._

She was gone.

Just a rocket launch into outer space… and she was gone.

Several moments ago, she was right here, in front of me.

And now…

I gripped the cloth she had placed into my palm. It came to my mind that I'll never get to see her wear her bandana again. And... she could have left me anything else to remember her by, but… she left me this.

Everything… was my fault.

I'm not sure how much time passed during that occasion, but when I turned around, I found myself in Andre's presence.

"In case you were wondering, the asteroid has been completely destroyed, thanks to May." he said. "It's a shame that we can't congratulate her."

"You knew she was going to die…" I growled.

"Hm? You're upset with me? They put her in a rocketship, of all things. Even she knew she was going to die." Andre then had an epiphany. "Wait, are you saying you didn't know the difference between a rocketship and a space shuttle? Is that why you were so hopeful that she was going to return?" he laughed, mocking my grief. "She's not even in an alternate universe, so don't go travelling dimensions just to find her. She's _dead._ Do you understand?"

I didn't want to hear anything from him anymore. I shoved him out of my way, and ran towards the shoreline.

I left Mossdeep.

…

…

…

I woke up to the feeling of fresh dew on my face.

It's strange to think about it now, after having this continuous dream… but all of these events happened within the span of perhaps a couple of months, and yet, everything is still fresh in my mind, as if it had all occurred the day before.

Looking back at it now, I guess there was always something about May that made it seem like she was meant to pursue greatness. From the way she always held herself, there was a feeling that she was always thinking about something greater. More than you could ever imagine. A feeling that she could do something extraordinary, unbelievable, right before your eyes.

Somehow, this felt… familiar, in some sense, but refreshing in another. It was almost as if we were fated to meet, perhaps in a past life. I've never been able to properly describe the feeling, and perhaps I never will.

Moreover, along with the fact that I failed to realize this sooner, I felt like I had overlooked an important part of her.

It's just another one of those mysteries of life.

* * *

Author's Note: Hey guys! I sincerely want to thank all of you for reading _Liftoff_, and I appreciate the support I've received for it. As a bonus, I want to explain my intentions behind this story as I have done for my other stories in the past.

For starters, I wrote _Liftoff_ as a tribute to Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, along with their remakes.

Then, as a challenge, I actually wrote this story backwards. I had the ending planned out months before I wrote the first chapter, which I alluded to through Brendan's monologue in the first chapter.

I will admit that the pacing was strange, especially during the first few chapters, but overall, I think that my story turned out to be semi-decent.

And now, the last thing I will mention is that I wanted this AU to illustrate what would happen if Brendan and May only had a limited amount of time to spend within the events of ORAS.

Thus, _Liftoff_ was born.

If you think this deserves to have a sequel, let me know, otherwise, this will just be a standalone story. I'm fine with either option.


End file.
